Electric clock mounting apparatus



Jung 21, 1960 E. E. HJELSETH, JR 2,942,227

ELECTRIC CLOCK MOUNTING APPARATUS Filed May 2, 195a INVENTOR. EILERT E.HJELSETH,JK

Generally speaking, the present invention relates to the electric clock art and, more particularly, pertains to i an improved apparatus for quickly and easily physically mounting an electric clock with respect to a vertical surface, such as a wall or the like, and for simultaneously removably electrically connecting said clock to an electric power supply circuit within 'said wall. H

Thus it can be seen that the apparatus of the present invention eliminates the prior artproblem of physically mounting an'electricclock on a wall andalso the prior artproblem of arranging to electrically connect a clock with respect to an electric power supply circuit, which is usually accomplished by. extending an electric cord consisting of two wires to the nearest electric Wall outlet. This-is disadvantageous for several reasons First, the nearest electric wall outlet may be located a sub sta-ntial distance away from the location where the electric clock is to he mounted onf a wall and thus require a lengthy extension cord Furthermore, such an 'extem sion cord is both unsightly and may become accidentally disconnected or cause other accidents because :it is inthc way. d

Furthermore, the prior art method of physically mounting such an electric clock on a vertical wall'usually requires the insertion of a screw into the wall and the consequent marring of the wall surface. 7

It should be noted that the present invention cornpletely solves all of the above-mentioned prior art ,problems, since no physical fastener must be screwed into the plaster of the wall, and consequently mar-ring-of same is not necessary, and since no extension cord to provide electrical connection is required. In other words, the S clock of the present invention can be very easily and quickly, both physically and electrically, mounted or dis mountedwith respect to a wall'surface at apredetermined location. a a A With the above points in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide irnprovedmeapsfor removably physically mounting an electricclock in' front of a vertical wall while simultaneously removably electrically connecting said clock to an electric power supply circuit within said wall. v

2,942,227 l stened June 21, 1960 To facilitate understanding, reference will be macl'e to the hereinbelow-described drawing, in which:

-Fig. l is a rear perspective view of an exemplary electric; clock prior to being physically and electrically mounted -by the apparatus of the present invention;

Fig; 2 is a rear perspective view, of aspect similar .to Fig. 1, which-shows the electric clock after a longitudinal baseplatehas been effectively vertically mounted at the back of theclock-said base plate carrying rearwardly directed first'electrical connector plug means, which is electrically connected to the-clock, and said base plate also carrying rearwardly directed resilient spaced mountin g prongs;

Fig. is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows III-III in Fig. land with all portions of the interior mechanism of the electric clock removed for clarity; I d 1 Fig. 4 is a left side elevational view of Fig. 2 with a portion of the near side wall of the electric clock at the back thereof broken away in order to show the structure of the base plate, first plug, and rearwardly directed resilient spaced mounting prongs;

5 is a reduced scale perspective view of a portion of the present invention adapted to be mounted within a vertical wall and adapted to receive the electrical connector plugs spaced mounting prongs shown in Figs, 2 al1dk4 for both physically and electrically mounting the e co Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken in thedi'i'ection of the arrows VI-VI in Fig. 5 along the several planesindicated between said arrows; and d I Fig. 7 is a view of the apparatus of Fig. 4 in fully mounted and engaged relationship with respect to the apparatus of Fig. 6, thereby effectively physically mount ing the clock with respect to the wall and electrically connecting the clock with respect to an electric power circuit within the wall.

Generally speaking, the present invention includes a longitudinal base plate effectively carried vertically at the back of an electric clock. In the specific example illustrated, such an electric clock is indicated generally at "1 and has a vertical back surface 2. Also in the specific example illustrated, the longitudinal base plate takes one specific form indicated at 3 fastened with-re spect "to the vertical back surface 20f the electric clock 1 by fas'tenin'g' means, which, in the specific example illustrated, takes the form of a forwardly offset bottom end 4 of the longitudinal base plate 3, which .isremovably inser'tible downwardly and forwardly through an aperture 5 in the lower portion of the back 2 of theelectricclock 1; said fastening means also including a 'It is a further object of the present invention.torprovide apparatus of the characterset forth in the preceding object, which may be initially supplied with an electric clock, or which is readily adapted to be subsequently placed in cooperative "clock mountin'g relationshi with respect to a preexisting standa'rdelectric clock.

Itis a-further object of the present invention toprovide apparatus of the character set forth in either of the preceding objects, which is of exceedingly simple, cheap, foolproof construction such as to be conducive to wide spread use thereof.

Other and allied objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a careful study of the accompanying illustrations, the present specification, and the appended claims.

threaded'fas't'ener element 6, such as a screw, fastened through "aslot '7 inthetop end of the longitudinal base plate 3 and threadedly-engaging the hole 8 at the top of the back :2 offthe clock 1. It will be noted that this aifahgernent 'i'acilitates rapid engagement and disengage rrie'nt'of the longitudinal base plate 3 withrespect to the back "2' of the clock 1.

'Also generally speaking, the longitudinal base plate carries a -rearwardly directed first electrical connector plug means adapted to be electrically connected to interiorrnechanis'm of the electric clock. In the specific examplefillus'trated, said electrical connector iplug means is indicated generallyat 9 and comprises a maleelectrical connector plug means having an insulatingbody portion 10 centrally carried by the rear surface of the longitudinal base plate 3 and provided with spaced rearwardly directed electrically conductive prongs 11.

Also generally speaking, the longitudinal base plate is provided with rearwardly directed resilient spaced mounting prongs. In the specific example illustrated, said spaced mounting prongs are vertically spaced above and below the electrical connector plug means 9 as indicated at 12 and are of resilient convoluted construction, preferably formed of metal or the like, although not so limited. Also-generally speaking, the present invention includes a second forwardly directed electrical connector plug means adapted to removably receive and electrically confact the hereinbeofre generically mentioned first electrical connector plug means; said second electrical connector plug means being connected to an electric power supply circuit Within a vertical wall and normally being centrally carried withina receptacle box mounted in said vertical wall. In the specific example illustrated, said receptacle boxis indicated at 13 and carries centrally positioned l therein said second electrical connector plugmeans, which is indicated generally at 14 and which takes the form of a female electrical connector plug means having two prong-receiving apertures 15 adapted to removably receive the prongs 11 of the male electrical connector plug 9. i

In the specific example illustrated, an electric power s ame.

The exact compositions, configurations, constructions, relative positionings, and cooperative relationships of'the various component parts of the present invention are not critical, and can be modifiedsubstantially within the spirit of the present invention.

The embodiments of the present invention specifically described and illustrated herein are exemplary only, and are not intended to limit the scope, of the present invention, which is to be interpreted in the light of the prior art and the appended claim only, with due consideration for the doctrine of equivalents.

I claim:

Apparatus for removably physically mounting an electric clock infront of a vertical wall while simultaneously removably electrically connecting said clock to an electric power supply circuit within said wall, comprising: an electric clock having a back surface; a longitudinal base plate; fastening means removably fastening said base plate vertically on the back surface of said electric clock; rearwardly directed male electrical connector plug means substantially centrally carried by said base plate and electrically connected to said electric clock; two rearwardly directed vertically spaced resilient oppositely vertically 1 convoluted mounting prongs of thinsheet resilient maforwardly directed prong-engaging means carried within I I the receptacle box and spaced in a manner such as'to plug means 14 so as to conveniently receive the resilient convoluted mounting prongs 12 carried by the longitudi rial base plate 3 on the vertical back 2 of the electric clock 1 in a manner which makes it possible to very rapidly and easily engage or disengage them and thus physically mount or dismount the electricclock 1 with a respect to the vertical wall 17. In the specific example illustrated, the female electrical connector plug 14 and the two vertically spaced forwardly directed resilient convoluted prong-engaging members 18 are of integral construction of electrical insulating material. However, the present invention is not limited to this type of integral construction nor to the use of insulating material for the prong-engaging members 18. Furthermore, the apparatus may be physically mounted within the receptacle box 13 in arrangements other than that specifically shown in Figs.-5, 6 and 7. a

In the specific example illustrated, a cover plate 20 is adapted to be positioned in front of the entire receptacle box 13 in the position shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 and to be retained there by suitable fastening screws 21.

Incidentally, it should be noted that the bast plate may be attached to the clock in a variety of ways and, in one form of the present invention, may actually be built right into the clock, or may comprise a portion of the clock or the back of the clock, itself. Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art after a careful study hereof. All such, properly within the basic spirit and scope of the present invention are intended to be included and comprehended herein as fully as if speci fically described, illustrated, and claimed herein.

terial carried by saidbase plate above and below said male electrical connector plug means and each having a horizontal width several times as great as its vertical thickness whereby to facilitate resilient deflection thereof in a vertical direction while inhibiting horizontal deflection thereof, each of said mounting prongs including a rearwardly directed substantially horizontal transversely flat thin-sheet base portion, an intermediate transversely flat thin-sheet portion vertically deflected out of the plane of said transversely flat thin-sheet base portion, and an outer transversely flat thin sheet portion deflected oppositely vertically from said intermediate transversely fiat thin-sheet portion; a forwardly open electrical receptacle box carried within a vertical wall with its forward surface substantially coplanar with the forward surface of said wall; forwardly directed female electrical connector plug means substantially centrally carried within said receptacle box and with its'forward surface substantially coplanar with the forward surface of said wall; said female electrical connector plug means removably receiving and electrically contacting said male electrical connector plug means and being electrically connected to an electric power supply circuit within said wall; and two vertically spaced forwardly open convoluted prong: engaging receiving members carried within said recepta-' cle box by said female electrical connector plug means' thereabove and therebelow and removably engaging and holding said two rearwardly directed vertically spaced resilient oppositely vertically convoluted mounting prongs of thin-sheet resilient material, each of said convoluted prong-engaging receiving members having three transversely substantially flat vertically convoluted and oppositely offset portions substantially corresponding to the transversely flat thin-sheet base portion, the transversely flat thin-sheet intremediate portion, and the transversely flat thin-sheet outer portion of the corresponding resilient thin-sheet mounting prong removably engaged and held within said prong-engaging receiving member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,549,433 Benjamin Aug. 11, 1925 2,494,428 Buck Jan. 10, 1950 2,860,317 'Johnson Nov. 11, 1958 

